The songs of the Old Testament translated into English measures, preseruing the naturall phrase and genuine sense of the holy text: and with as little circumlocution as in most prose translations. To euery song is added a new and easie tune, and a short prologue also, deliuering the effect and vse thereof, for this profit of vnlearned readers. By George Wither. Cum priuilegio permissu superiorum.

The Song.

Then sang Deborah, and Barak the sonne of Abinoam on that day▪ saying:

〈♫〉〈♫〉 SIng praises to the Lord That Isre'l to acquite, The people of their owne ac-cord Went forth vnto the fight: You Kings giue eare, you Princes heare, I to the Lord will raise

My voyce aloud, and sing to God The Lord of Isr'ell prayse. 〈♫〉〈♫〉

LORD, when thou wentst from Seir, When thou lef'st Edom field; Earth shooke, and heauen dropped there, The Clouds did water yeeld, LORD, at thy sight a trembling fright, Vpon the Mountaines fell: And at thy looke, Mount Sinai shooke, LORD God of Jsrael.

Erewhile in Shamghar's dayes, Old Anah's valiant sonne, And late in Jaels time, the wayes Frequented were of none; The passengers were wanderers In crooked pathes vnknowne; And none durst dwell, through Jsrael But in a walled towne.

Vntill I Deborah 'rose. I rose a mother here In Jsr'el, when new Gods they chose That fil'd their gates with warre.

And they had there nor shield nor speare, In their possession then; To arme for fight, one Israelite, 'Mong forty thousand men.

My hearts affection, set On Israels Leaders is; Who with the willing people met, Oh praise the LORD for this. Sing all of yee, who vsed be, To ride on Asses gray: All you that yet in Middin si••, Or trauaile by the way.

Where they their water drew, Those places being cleare From noyse of Archers; Let them shew The LORD's vprightnes there. Through Jsrael all, the hamlets shall His righteousnesse record: And downe vnto the gates shall goe, The people of the LORD.

Rise Deborah, arise, Rise, rise, and sing a song, Abinoams sonne, oh Barak rise; Thy Captiues lead along. By him made thrall, their Princes all, To the Suruiuer be, To triumph on the mightie one; The LORD vouchsafed me.

A root from Ephraim, Gainst Amaleck arose,

And of the people next to him, The Beniamites were those. From Machir, where good leaders are, Came well experienc't men: And they came downe from Zabulon That handle well the penne.

With Deborah did goe The Lords of Isachar, Eu'n Isachar; and Barak to, Was one among them there; Who forth was sent, and downe he went, On foote the lower way. In Ruben there, diuisions were, Great thoughts of heart had they.

The bleating flockes to heare Oh wherefore didst thou stay? In Ruben there diuisions were, Great thoughts of heart had they. And why did they of Gilead stay, On Iordan's other side? Or what was than, the reason Dan, Did in his Tents abide?

Among his harbours nigh The sea, there Asher lay; But Zabulon, nor Nepthali. Did keepe themselues away: These people are, who fearelesse dare Their liues to death expose; And would not yeeld the hilly-field, Yet Kings did them oppose.

The Cananitish Kings, At Tana'ch fought that day, Close by Megiddoes water-springs; Yet bore no prize away. The Starres from out the heauens fought, Gainst Sisera they stroue: They in their course, and some with force, Away brocke Kishon droue;

Old Kishon, that was long A famous Torrent knowne. Oh thou my soule, oh thou the strong Hast brauely trodden downe! Their horses by their prauncing high, Their broken hoofes did wound; Those of the strong, that kickt and flung, And fiercely beat the ground.

A curse on Meroz lay, Curst let her dwellers be; The Angell of the LORD, doth say, Extreamely curse it yee. The cause of this accursing is, They came not to the fight, To helpe the LORD, to help the LORD, Against the men of might.

But Iael, Hebers Spouse, The Kenite, blest be she, More then all women more then those, That vse in Tents to be. To him doth she, giue milke when he Doth but for water wish:

She butterfets, and forth it sets Vpon a Lordly dish.

Her left hand reacht a Nayle, A workmans hammer streight Her right hand takes, and therewithall, She Sisera doth smite. His head she tooke, when she had strooke His pierced temples through; He fell withall, and in the fall, Hee at her feete did bow▪

He at her feete did bow, Whom falling life forsooke; And Sisera his mother now, Doth from her window looke. Thus cries she at the lattice grate, Why staies his Charr'ot so, Returning home? oh wherefore come, His Charr'ot wheeles so slowe?

There-with her Ladies wise, To her an answere gaue; Yea, to her selfe, her selfe replies, Sure sped, saith she, they haue. And all this while, they part the spoile; A damzell one or twaie Each homeward beares, and Sisera shares, A particolour'd pray.

A pray discolour'd trimme, And wrought with paintings rare: Wrought through; and for the necke of him That taketh spoiles to weare.

So LORD, still so, thy foes ore'throw, But who in thee delight, Oh let them be, Sunne-like, when he Ascendeth in his might.